‘Handy for work,’ he continued with a smile.
Jules felt ridiculously tongue-tied.
‘Rita said you’re staying at Hideaway Cottage. That’s a lovely spot.’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you here for long?’
‘No.’
‘Shame. There’s a lot to see and do on the island; lovely walks, beautiful beaches, the Roman villa is amazing if that’s your thing. Or maybe you don’t want to do anything,’ he added.
‘Not really.’
Suddenly he frowned and turned on his toes, flattening the grass into a little whirlpool swirl.
‘I’ll go and see where those girls are and send Tasha out to you.’
‘Tell her I’ll wait in the car,’ Jules called after him.
SIX
Jules banged her head against the steering wheel. That had been so rude. He was just trying to make polite conversation. But what did it matter? She’d never have to see him again. Except here he was accompanying Tasha across the car park. Maybe he thought the girl would make a bolt for it if he didn’t deliver her personally. As he opened the passenger door and leaned in a little, she got a waft of clay mixed with something fresh and green.
‘Just a thought,’ he said, looking decidedly awkward and holding out a leaflet. ‘If you’re at a bit of a loose end one day. Not that you will be probably. There’s a lot to see and do here. It’s just… well… I thought if you get fed up with beaches’ – he half laughed – ‘which is a stupid thing to say because no one ever gets fed up with beaches, do they?’
Jules’s eyes widened.
‘Anyway, if you want something to take your mind off things – which we all do sometimes, don’t we – throwing a pot or clay modelling is very good for that.’
She kept her palms, which were beginning to sweat, fixed to the steering wheel.
‘I really don’t think…’
‘No,’ he said, his cheeks turning pink. ‘Stupid of me. Of course. Not your thing. I’ll leave it with you anyway. Perhaps you could put it in the cottage for future guests.’
He rested the leaflet on the dashboard. Jules felt relieved when he stood back to allow Tasha to climb in even though the girl still oozed resentment.
‘See you tomorrow, Tash,’ he said through the open window.
She didn’t reply, but Jules noticed that, half hidden by the bag on her lap, she crossed both of her fingers.
‘And enjoy your hol… enjoy your stay on the island,’ he said to Jules without really looking at her.
She gave him a cursory nod and turned the ignition key. The Land Rover made a horrible coughing sound followed by silence. Jules felt her heart begin to race. Please, please don’t break down here, she silently begged. Sweat was gathering at the nape of her neck.
‘We may have to walk after all,’ she muttered.
‘It always does that,’ Tasha replied. ‘You need to give it more gas.’
She was acutely aware of Lance watching. At the second turn of the key, she pressed her foot down hard on the accelerator and the engine roared into life. She heaved the gearstick into reverse and the car shot backwards, peppering stones at Lance’s legs. He jumped out of the way and she knew she should apologise, but all she could think about was getting out of there and back to the sanctuary of Hideaway Cottage.
Tasha kept her face turned to the window for the whole ten-minute drive. The silence was a relief as was the air from the open windows rushing across her face and lifting her hair to cool the back of her neck.
‘Here you are,’ she said, pulling into the entrance to Orchard Farm.
‘You can drop me here,’ Tasha said. ‘I think I can be trusted to walk the rest of the way without getting squashed.’
